The centres are intended to help ensure the sustainable development of one of the region’s most lucrative sectors, with the main facility to serve as a research venue for institutes, universities and businesses to study the application of high technology to developing plant and animal varieties, breeding reproduction and the transfer of new techniques to farmers.
Two auxiliary centres at Song Hau and Co Do Farms will be active in applying large-scale technology to agricultural production, carrying out experimental agricultural production and freshwater aquaculture techniques, and organising trade fairs and related commercial activities.
Twelve projects on plant breeding, the development of agriculture in conjunction with eco-tourism, and expanding organic vegetable production will be at the top of the agenda for the new facilities once they become operational.
A secondary focus for the centres will be human resources training, improving management and product quality and the building and development of agricultural trademarks.
According to the municipal Department of Science and Technology, bio-technology can be applied to such agricultural products as rice, fruit and cashews, as well as help reduce the use of antibiotics in fish and livestock.
Fine-tuning a rice processing system to fall in line with EU and US standards and building a comprehensive network for rice distribution have also been written into the facilities’ development programmes through 2010.
The facilities are also part of the city’s overall plan to modernise agriculture and boost exports through 2020, under which the city will focus on developing bio-technology, creating new seedlings, providing high-quality traditional products, and building trademarks for hi-tech agricultural products.
The programme will strive to make the city a key locality in the region to boost agriculture and applied sciences and technology in all aspects of production, storage, processing and marketing of agricultural products, as well as helping to protect the environment